An in-depth look at the Clinton LumberKings from radio broadcaster Dave Lezotte. The LumberKings are the class A Midwest League Affiliate of the Seattle Mariners.

Tonight’s Interview: Ryan Kiel

For the fourth time this season, LumberKings’ right-hander Taijuan Walker started a game that would end in a shutout victory. For the third time amongst those four starts, he faced the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Walker improved to 3-0, 0.00 (0 ER in 16.o IP) against Clinton’s rivals to the West with 5.0 scoreless, f0ur-hit innings last night to lead the Kings to a 2-0 win. Three of those four hits occurred in the first inning, but Walker picked Travis Witherspoon off of first base and induced an inning-ending double play from Jeremy Cruz. A two-out RBI single by Mickey Wiswall in the third inning and solo home run by Anthony Phillips in the fourth inning (listen:Phillips Solo HR (#4) 8.10.11) provided the offense. Left-hander Ryan Kiel retired all nine batters he faced over 3.0 scoreless innings and right-hander Tyler Burgoon picked up save #12 with a perfect ninth inning.

August is usually time for me to get through the bullpen in regards to interviews, and tonight’s outing for Kiel provides perfect timing to catch up with him. Seattle’s 37th round pick in 2010 out of Marshall University, Kiel has lowered his ERA from 4.63 to 3.24 over his last two outings totaling 5.0 scoreless innings. The Los Gatos, CA native talks about his role as the bullpen’s lone lefty, his fastball/slider/change arsenal, his time with the Thundering Herd, his 2010 debut in Pulaski and more on tonight’s pregame interview.

Game two with the Kernels is tonight at 7:00 PM. Left-hander Tony Butler (1-2, 3.26) gets the start tonight looking to right the ship after his last outing (loss at Burlington, 5 ER in 5.0 IP). He’ll be opposed by right-hander A.J. Schugel of the Kernels (3-3, 2.77). Listen to the broadcast online at 1390kcln.com.

-DL

Follow me on Twitter at @davelezotte and the LumberKings at @LumberKings.

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